


Here Be Dragons

by traumschwinge



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragons, Emma Frost HBIC, Established Relationship, F/M, Hand Jobs, Interspecies Relationship(s), Kidnapping, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Reason Resolves Prejudice, Virgin Erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 21:38:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5264546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traumschwinge/pseuds/traumschwinge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world has been reamed by dragons for centuries by the time Emma and Charles grow up. Humans have learned not only to meet the dragons with fear, but there are also some individuals offering their help whenever a realm faces the treath of dragon attacks. Emma has done so dozens of times. Charles was involved in such fights just as often.<br/>But one day, before Emma can even face a dragon she had planned to bring down, a young, inexperienced Prince steps in, ruining all their plans. But it might just be the luckiest turn of fate in their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here Be Dragons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fabeld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabeld/gifts).



> I'm very indepted and need to thank my two beta readers. Thanks guys, you know who you are.
> 
> And Fabeld, I'm sorry this is not the porn you might have hoped for. But they still all have their powers, so that's a plus right? QAQ Anyway, I hope you still like it.

Fire was burning deep in Charles’ chest, swelling up as he breathed in. Down below, far under him, the checkered pattern of harvested fields could be seen. He held his breath for a moment, enjoying the burn, circling a little lower, closer to the ground. Even at this height, the screams of the people on the ground found their way to be heard. Just when he thought he couldn’t keep it in any longer, he let out out his fiery breath in a slow, steady stream. There were flames licking over his fangs, heating the air below him even before they hit the ground. The giant fireball from his throat scorched the field below, sending warm winds up. He spread his leathery wings wide, using those winds to slowly circle up again.

Two more times, he repeated this, in different parts of the realm, always in sight of its capital and royal castle, always on the watch for archers ready to shoot him down as he burned harvested fields. He was meant to make a point, not to get into a fight yet.

~*~

It took this realm only a few days before it started panicking. After only two dragon attacks without anyone getting killed at that. Other realms had taken far longer to get to that state, confident in their own ability to take on a dragon. Those realms had come to the conclusion to ask outsiders for help eventually, so this particular realm might just have spared themselves a few weeks of pointless hope.

Emma could practically taste the mood of the capital swing from trust in their own strength before the first attack over doubt after it to feel pushed to the cusp of riots out of desperation after the second. The people in charge reacted like she expected them, too. The day after the second dragon attack, when none of their archers could take the beast down, or even hit the dragon with their arrows, posters appeared and envoys announced that there was a prize for the one who slayed the dragon. The reward was less than Emma would have liked but still good enough.

She took her time preparing everything she would need to hunt a dragon, before she strolled over from the inn she was staying at to the palace. With each day she’d spend there, the capital had become less busy. She didn’t expect much concurrence in her business. Dragons were well known enough in this part of the world that not even the dumbest would try facing one without a lot of preparation and fighting experience. It had gotten so bad that more than one realm had started to do whatever the beasts demanded. It was a savage practice, if anyone asked Emma. Nobody liked being ruled through terror.

As expected, despite the wealth in store for the dragonslayer, there was nobody queueing up to get into the palace. In fact, there wasn’t anyone there, despite the king and his council waiting. Emma was led straight to them by the guard. It wasn’t hard convincing them that she was experienced and determined. Getting them to promise her to get paid in writing and without demanding the dragon’s head or something for proof as long as she had enough witnesses was a little harder. They only gave in when Emma eventually threatened to move on and leave them at the dragon’s mercy. Each time she pulled that move, convincing the rulers of various realms got easier.

Her deed for the day done, she returned to the inn. She saw to her shield, sword and crossbow to make sure it all was intact. The next morning, she would take a horse and ride to the village close to the nearest deep lake and wait there for the dragon’s next attack.

~*~

Emma had climbed onto a roof once she’d reached the village. The lake was gleaming in the early morning sunlight. She made sure her crossbow was ready and her arrows easily reached. Her shield was already tightly strapped to her arm. The villagers had fled when they saw her coming, obviously concluding that a dragonslayer meant the dragon would return soon. The fields it had burned had still smelled of fire and death when Emma had ridden by them at dawn.

At the horizon, a shadow rose into the sky. It quickly became bigger. Soon, the batting of leathery wings could be heard. Once above the lake, the dragon breathed fire, turning the water to steam and rising higher on it. Emma readied her shield.

”Dragon!” she called. It was so close now the gusts created by its wings started to pull on Emma, threatening to sweep her off the roof. The dragon didn’t breathe fire at her, yet. It might have not heard her. Emma placed an arrow on the crossbow, aimed and shot it at the dragon. It hit the dragon’s flank, prompting it to change course and fly directly at Emma. She raised her shield.

For a terrifying moment, Emma could hear the dragon breathe in, see directly into its wide open mouth. She closed her eyes, ready for a fireball. The shield would do her little good if the roof under her feet was burning.

The dragon didn’t breathe fire at her. It just flew over the roof, over her, missing her by inches. She wasn’t prepared for the gust that followed, through. For a brief moment, if lifted her off her feet. That moment was enough for her to lose her standing, sending her sliding down the roof. She just barely managed to grab the edge of the roof, saving herself from falling. Her crossbow slipped from her grasp, clattering onto the ground below. She could only hope it wasn’t broken.

She let go of the edge and landed on the ground next to the crossbow. She picked it up and examined it, making sure everything was still intact. Then, she ran to the center of the village, to face the dragon on steady ground, at an open space. She clutched her shield tight.

The dragon had circled around in the meantime, so he was now coming at Emma from the land side, facing the lake. For a long moment, it just stared at Emma, hanging in the air with shallow bats of its wings. Emma stared right back at it over the rim of her shield. Again, the dragon took a deep breath. This time, when it exhaled, a giant ball of flame shot from its throat, hitting Emma’s shield. The flames enveloped her, despite the shield holding of the worst. Sne could only hope the magic scratched into it would hold. The air and ground around her heated up more and more, making her sweat. And then, a sudden as it had begun, the flames were gone again. The dragon flew past her, ready to circle over the lake and then come back. Emma made sure the villagers were watching from a distance.

Her arm felt a little numb from the strain of holding the shield against the flames, but she still managed to pull back the bowstring. She looked up to make sure the dragon was not coming back yet. Then, she placed another arrow on the crossbow. This time, she would hit the mark.

_Ready?_ , she thought. The dragon flapped its wings over the deepest part of the lake. Emma raised her crossbow. The dragon turned. She aimed. It started to fly faster. She pulled the trigger.

The arrow hit the dragon right where its wings connected with its body. It let out a pained howl, one that could be heard for miles, thundering over the plains. Emma hurried to ready another arrow, shooting the dragon twice more. All of a sudden, the dragon’s hit wing went limp. For a second, it stayed in the air with only one wing flapping, before it fell like a stone. Steam rose from the lake when the water swallowed the dragon’s body. The hiss of evaporating water mixed with the dragon’s scream, almost but not quite droning out the gurgling sound as the dragon drowned.

Emma took a deep breath. The dragon was slain. The villagers already came running back to congratulate and thank her. She brushed back her sweaty hair. She needed a bath. There was soot all over her clothes. But that could wait for just a minute. She had to accept the villagers’ thanks first.

~*~

With all her precautions and an entire group of witnesses accompanying her, it wasn’t hard for Emma to convince the king to hand over her reward. Usually, people remained sceptical without a dead body for proof. But in this realm it seemed to be a well known fact that water was the only natural enemy of a dragon and there were only very few doubts that she had truly slain the dragon.

What turned out to be much harder, though, was dodging all the invitations to come and join the celebration over the dragon’s death. Emma even needed to nudge some minds in a different direction to be allowed to leave without the delay of a celebration. However the appointment she had to keep was more important than all the banquettes in the world.

The meeting point was a hidden rocky beach at the shore of the lake, about a day’s journey on horseback from the capital. Emma had strapped her reward carefully to the saddle, before she’d ridden to the beach, always on the lookout for people following her. Only when she was sure nobody knew where she was going did she dare to lead her horse through some trees and undergrowth to the beach.

”I feel filthy,” she announced out loud once she’d reached the beach. She tied her horse next to the other one.

The young man sitting by a fire laughed. “I don’t assume you mean about tricking these poor people out of so much money.” His blue eyes twinkled as if reflecting the flames even when he wasn’t looking at the fire anymore.

”Don’t be silly.” Emma undid the clasps holding her leather armour together and let it drop right where she was standing. Next, she pulled off her chainmail. “I mean my body and clothes. Try to stir up less dirt next time. There’s soot and bits of charcoal everywhere!” To prove her point, she plucked a tiny bit of coal from her hair and flicked it at Charles. “Unlike you I didn’t get a nice cold bath right after our fight.” She looked at the lake.

Charles followed her glance. “Cold as ice,” he said. “Not that it’ll stop you. Did you bring food?”

She pointed back at the horse, already in the process of undressing. “Take what you like.”

Charles had been overselling the cold of the lake, at least in Emma’s opinion. Here by the shore it was warm enough she could take her time washing herself and her clothes of the grime after a fight and a day and night on horseback. When she was done, Charles had already roasted some meat and root vegetables over the fire so they could eat.

Charles’ eyes followed her as she walked over to the trees to hang her wet clothes. The saddlebags with dry ones were by the fire. ”Did that happen when I pushed you off that roof?” he asked, looking at some bruises on her side.

Emma indicated a nod. She was used to keeping her thoughts open to Charles and he did the same for her. There was no way she would keep secrets from him. “How’s your shoulder?” she asked as she pulled her second pair of trousers and a new shirt out of her saddlebag.

”Not worse than your side,” Charles said lightly, but Emma could feel that it was painful for him to move his arm in certain ways. Swimming ashore couldn’t have been fun like that. She pursed her lips. “I’ll let you put ointment on it after dinner,” Charles sighed. “But only if you let me look at your bruises.”

She sat down by the fire, close to Charles and they started to eat in silence. Eventually, Emma gave Charles a mental nudge, allowing him to lean his head against her shoulder if he wanted it so badly. She herself was just glad to have him back in her head again. The time after she “shot” him down was always the worst, because it was hard for both of them to maintain the connection with so much of their concentration elsewhere. After long years spent together, Emma found it harder and harder to adjust to only experiencing events with her own mind, without having a constant feed between her and Charles’ mind.

”Do you think we’ll have to keep this up much longer?” Charles asked like he had started to do after every one of those scams lately. Emma could feel him getting tired of the constant wandering. She couldn’t blame him, she felt the same after all. That had been why they had started to pretend Charles attacked unsuspecting realms every fall. It was the easiest way to get large sums of money without the danger of breaking into treasuries and stealing all the gold they could get like other dragons would.

Emma brushed a hand through Charles’ soft brown hair. “One last time,” she sighed. “Then we should have enough to buy a nice little estate with a garden and some fields to loan to eager peasants so we won’t have to worry much anymore.”

Charles nodded. Emma could feel his resolve returning. “Just one more time.” He looked up when she pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Let me see to your bruises now.” His fingers were pleasantly warm when he pulled the shirt back up over Emma’s head.

~*~

It took them a few weeks to reach the last realm they had chosen to scam with their fake dragon attacks. In that time, the weather grew cooler and overall nastier. Rain cold as ice, stinging even through their leather clothes, sleet and howling winds became a regular occurrence. More than one day they couldn’t move on at all but had to huddle together with their horses in a cave while outside storms raged on. With how things were, Emma started to doubt they’d make it to their destination before the dead of winter. Charles suggested flying a couple of times. The more they were trapped in caves, the more Emma felt inclined to agree with him. Other times, Charles suggested looking for a nice, dry cave to just wait out winds and snow. On that point, Emma didn’t want to agree with him on principle. Caves were horrible places to wait out winter in.

They made it to the mountain range towering over the realm’s capital from the west before Emma finally gave in. Not to the hole up for winter idea, though they found a cave that seemed ideal for that as well. But to the idea of simply flying the rest of the way to the realm’s capital. They would find a way to set her down on the ground close to it, maybe use the fog occurring in the most of the mornings lately as cover. The plan still had Emma worry how they could get enough provisions to last them during the winter, even if they hunted game all winter, but Charles ensured her it would be alright. He could always “steal” vegetable carts instead of burning down empty fields and leave some gold in exchange. Sometimes Emma really had to wonder how she could have chosen to spend so much of her life with an optimist like Charles. He usually made it up to her, but still.

Charles flew out for the first time two days after they’d found the cave. Left on her own, Emma went out into the woods clinging to the mountains. She had planned to hunt, or put out traps so they had meat to dry for winter and fresh to go with whatever Charles would be able to bring home. But after she’d set up the first couple of traps to hopefully catch some smaller animals, she remembered that as nice and hot as dragon’s breath was, it was rather impractical to heat a cave that way. Mostly because neither of them could breathe fire in their human form and the cave was a little small for two horses, a human sized dragon and a full sized dragon. So she resigned herself to cut down some smaller trees and dragging them back to the cave. They could cut them into logs later. For now, Emma wanted to use what little time until sunset was left to check on her traps and try to find out if there was some bigger game up in the mountains as well.

Charles came back right when the last rays of sunlight made the mountain tops look like they’d been set aflame. He had a small cart filled with potatoes and another one with cabbage in his claws. Emma was secretly impressed by his skill and how full both carts still looked, but she’d never tell Charles so. There was no use in feeding his already large ego. She had started a fire when she’d returned to the cave and was busy skinning the rabbits she’d caught in her traps and ready them to be roasted or to dry the meat they wouldn’t eat right away.

They sat by the fire for a bit longer after they’d eaten, Charles cutting the trees to a more reasonable size and Emma still busy with the last few rabbits. Charles told her what he had seen in the realm during the day. They seemed to be rich in this part of the world, despite the relatively small arable grounds. Based on the roads he had seen, Charles guessed it was because of trade. That was good news for a change. Rich realms meant they could ask for more money. But it also bore the danger of them hiring a small army to deal with the dragon, but Charles was confident he could take that on without too much of a problem. If worst came to worst, he declared, Emma could still come to his aid and rescue. Two dragons should be enough to take on any army. It would just ruin their plans, but rather that than losing their lives.

They passed a couple of days like that. At sunrise, Charles would change into a dragon and fly out to find out more about the realm and steal provisions. Emma would set out into the woods soon after. The temporary plan was to get enough provisions to last them during winter without too much rationing or the need to hunt and then wait for the right moment for Emma to pose as a dragon slayer. After a week or so, the provisions they had stored at the back of the cave looked nice and about enough to last them. Emma had managed to hunt some deer in addition to the small animals caught in her traps. Charles had brought turnips and apples in addition to even more cabbage and potatoes. Everything was coming along nicely, if it weren’t for one small detail.

”There was a knight today when I circled over a village for a while,” Charles explained the moment he stepped into the cave one evening. He was holding his side in a way that told Emma she should get the ointment and bandages before he could even ask for it.

”What happened?” she asked while she cleaned the wound. It looked somewhat nasty, as if the weapon had been barbed.

”The knight.” Charles sucked in a hissing breath as Emma smeared the ointment to his wound. “He shot arrows at me. I was sure I dodged them, but they still hit me. Then I flew away as quickly as I could. Something like that never happened.”

Emma looked at him closely. “Could you see in his mind?”

Charles shook his head. “I was in a hurry. Everything happened so fast. And he was so concentrated, all of his thoughts were focused on hitting me, bringing me down.” He leaned against Emma when she was done, mindful of his wound. “He called me a vicious beast in his thoughts.”

Emma hugged him close. “You’re not a beast. No beast would even consider to exchange gold for the taken goods. No beast would mind if it hurt people. You’re everything, Charles, but not a beast.” She kissed the side of his head.

”Thank you, Emma,” Charles sighed, relaxing in her embrace. “I mean it, thank you.”

~*~

In the evening after he’d first faced a dragon— _the_ dragon—Erik missed dinner in the castle. He also ignored all the pages his mother send to fetch him. After a day like the one he’d had, he didn’t feel up to eat. He was still reeling, his fingers trembled still as he tended to his bow and sword to take his mind of things. But whenever he let his thoughts wander, they returned to the almost human scream of the dragon when he’d hit it. The fresh memory never failed to send chills down his spine.

He knew, as a prince, it was his duty to protect his country against any danger and evil. That included dragons. But something had felt different about that than when he was hunting down wild beasts or even facing off against bandits. And it hadn’t just been knowing in the back of his mind that the dragon could decide to burn him to cinders any moment. Maybe he should have tried to reason with the dragon.

He put down his sword after a last check that it wouldn’t break any time soon. It was stupid to think he could just talk the dragon into leaving their realm alone. The next time he faced it, he should be ready to take the beast down. Not hesitate and let it get away again like this time. He owed it to the people who looked at him as their future king. It was his duty. But it would have been so much easier if he didn’t have to think of other people first all the time. The curse of royalty, his mother had called it when he had complained about it when he had been younger. A curse indeed, Erik had thought so many times since.

He had a hard time sleeping the next couple of days, even though the dragon didn’t show.

The next time Erik encountered the dragon he thought he was ready. He was alone on a wide and empty field, in his hand his bow and his mind firmly set on guiding his arrows to their target and if he had to pull them there by their iron head. He called for the dragon.

This time, it didn’t flee. Erik was not sure why. But when he shot his first arrow and saw the dragon evade, he tried to guide the arrow in vain. Erik gasped. It was like his thoughts slipped every time he tried to grasp the arrow head. He shot more and more arrows but none could be guided. It was sheer luck and his marksmanship that one hit the dragon in one of its front legs. Again, just like last time, the dragon screamed in pain.

Still, the dragon didn’t flee. It took up speed and came right at Erik, flying low and beating him down with its wings. He was too slow to draw his sword and stab it in the belly.

”Come back here and fight, beast!” Erik yelled after the dragon once he was back on his feet. He only had a few arrows left. If those wouldn’t hit either, he was in trouble. He drew his sword, readying himself if the dragon would take up his challenge to a duel.

The dragon yelled back at him. Erik couldn’t call the not quite inhuman growl shouted at him any other way. His mouth hanging open a little at the elegance of the hurt beast’s flight, he watched the dragon turn and fly back in his direction, claws first this time. Erik understood too late that the last flyby had been merely a warning.

Despite being ready, Erik still got his sword knocked from his hands by the dragon’s front claws. He fell to the ground, tried to roll away but the dragon’s talons still closed around his body. He was lifted up in the air, sure the dragon would kill him by simply letting him fall from great height. Panicked, Erik tried to free himself as long as they were still low. The dragon brought it head close to him, snapping its fangs a couple of times and then held him only tighter.

Erik struggled, even though deep down that he had a better chance if only he’d hold still. Struggling meant that the dragon could drop him by accident a small voice in the back of his mind reminded him. It didn’t entirely sound like his own. The mountains were getting closer each minutes and Erik was sure he now knew the dragon was taking him so it could eat him in peace during the winter. He started fighting the grip again.

That was the last Erik remembered before he lost consciousness.

*~*

”...could have just left him there unconscious!”

Erik was woken by angry shouting. He was lying on hard, sandy ground, close to a fire. Somebody had been nice enough to lie him down on a rug and put a blanket over him. He could smell and hear horses nearby too.

”I panicked!” A second, male voice said, a little defensive. “He shot at me! He wanted to stab me!”

”So you thought it’d be a good idea to take him home with you?” the first, female voice chided. There was a creak as if from fabric being pulled taunt. The male voice squeaked a little. “Very bright, Charles. I sincerely hope you have a plan for now.”

There was a pause. Erik heard some movement, so he stayed very still. All he could do now was figuring out a way so his captors wouldn’t hurt him or worse. Possibly even flee. They hadn’t bound him. That was a chance. He had to get back to his mother and warn the Queen about the dragon’s human helpers.

”Interesting,” the female voice—now much closer—murmured. “You know, Charles, we could simply press a ransom for this pretty little prince. Saves us time and work. What do you think?”

Erik froze and this time not because he didn’t want them to notice him being awake. How could he do this to his realm and mother, getting abducted and held for ransom. It was unworthy of a Prince.

”Emma, you’re scaring him!” Charles chided. Erik could hear and feel somebody sit down close to him. He blinked his eyes open. “Hello,” Charles beamed down at him. “I’m Charles and what’s your name?”

”Erik,” Erik croaked. He had noticed the bandages on Charles’ upper arm and side, right where he’d hit the dragon.

Charles smiled. “Say hello to Erik, Emma,” he said to somebody behind Erik.

Emma huffed. “If you want to keep yourself a pet that’s fine by me, but don’t expect me to be nice to somebody who hurt you.”

Charles visibly deflated. There was a little pang in Erik’s chest. He rolled around and sat up so he could look at Emma. She shot him a look that would have been able to freeze hell over.

”Would it help if I apologise?” Erik asked, feeling suddenly defensive. “I, I didn’t know we could reason!”

”So you thought it was only right shooting arrows at somebody who never hurt anyone? Just because you’ve been scared out of your dim wits?”

Erik looked at her scandalized. “I thought dragons were some kind of animal! Like bears!”

Charles put a hand on Erik’s arm. “I’d recommend you’d stop right here, please,” he said. “Neither of us is any more of an animal that you.”

Erik nodded glumly. He hadn’t missed that Emma was now looking at him like she wanted to rip his throat out. “Why did you come here and scare so many people? Just to get enough food for the winter?” He remembered the gold coins. “You could have just bought it.”

Emma rolled her eyes at him. “We couldn’t even make it down the mountains with all these storms lately,” she huffed. “And why not have you or your parents pay so we can have enough gold for our old age in the process? Do you think raiding realms is fun? Do you really think we wouldn’t have a nice, peaceful little home like you do if we could? But no, we’re not human, so drive us out of every settlement and woe to us should we even consider letting our guard down for a moment and reveal our true form.”

”Do you really think I have it all that easy? I’m the first who gets called whenever something’s wrong in the realm. My mother gets asked for advice, I get told what to do all day,” Erik huffed. “Do you think I volunteered to defend the realm on the prospect of being roasted? Do you think if I had a choice, I would let my mother run my life down to little details like who I would marry or when or if I should have children or not?” He was breathing heavily by the time he was finished. Quietly, he added, “At least you’re free to go and fly wherever you want.”

Emma looked at him long and hard. “Are you lonely?” she finally asked.

”I’ve people around me all day,” Erik replied. He hadn't missed the look Emma and Charles had exchanged and how Charles’ expression had lit up.

”That’s not a no, you know?” Emma smirked. Erik didn’t like the expression on her. It made him think of fangs and claws. “How about you stay here with us for a bit, see if you like this life. Charles is useless, thanks to you, so it’s only fair if you help us out. We need more firewood if we wanna make it over the winter and I am busy stealing your Majesty’s game.” She smirked. ”And if you think of asking me why I don’t just breathe fire to keep Charles warm then remember I am a big, scary dragon and could eat you in one bite. So don’t.”

Erik nodded. He had been thinking of asking. So instead, he said, “Okay, fine. And if I like it?”

”If we like you, you could come with us,” Charles offered.

”And if you don’t?” Erik asked. He wanted to trust Charles, but something about Emma made him feel like he was constantly played.

”Then we bring you back, knock you out, collect a reward and we’ll be long gone when you wake up and tell everyone that we were the ones who took you,” Emma smiled. “So do we have a deal or not?”

Erik held out his hand. “Deal. Anything’s better than going back right away.” He looked over at Charles. “And I guess I owe you. For, you know, hurting you like that.”

”It’s alright,” Charles said. “You didn’t mean it.”

Erik looked at Emma, knowing that she thought he was still guilty, just like he himself.

~*~

The next morning, Erik took the small axe they had without Emma having to tell him to do so. She was pleased with the development, if only because she had other things to worry over than Charles’ new pet. Charles’ wounds for example. Right after a modest breakfast, she replaced the bandages around Charles arm and body.

”You like him,” she noted. Only an idiot would miss the way Charles had been watching Erik all the time, both this morning and the previous evening. It was beyond anything she could excuse as a normal reaction to have a new face around. “Are you sure you don’t want to lock him up in a tower and eat all knights who come to take him?”

Charles looked at her, appalled. “I’d never!” he gasped. He looked over at the cave entrance to make sure Erik wasn’t close and then murmured, “But he is rather nice to look at, don’t you think?”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “I think he should use his pretty head for a little more thinking.”

”So you think you could like him, too?” Charles laughed.

Emma shrugged. She pulled the bandages tight. “I could come to enjoy bossing him around,” she allowed. “So, would you like to keep him? I’m sure we could come up with a way to please both of us, him and his parents.” She kissed the side of Charles’ head. “There. I’m done.” She got up, patting the sand from her trousers.

Charles smiled at her. “Did you think about the usual reward for rescuing a princess from a dragon?”

She flicked her hair. “I have to check the traps now, Charles.” With that, she left.

~*~

A few days later, Erik for once returned before Emma in the evening. The mood between them had been frosty, to the point at which Charles had wondered if Emma wasn’t returning before Erik on purpose, to not let him any alone time with Charles. She had, though, told Erik about the idea they’d had. He hadn’t been too keen on it, but hadn’t objected either.

Charles greeted him cheerfully. After a day of chopping wood and collecting fruit and mushrooms, Erik was all sweaty and tired. He wondered if he could just ask Erik if he wanted to get to the nearest river and sneak some looks. The days had been very boring all alone in the cave with only the horses for company. He didn’t have much more to do than daydreaming.

Erik dropped down by the fire close to Charles. “Do we still have some water?” He sounded tired.

Charles passed him a half empty waterskin. One of them would have to fetch more water soon. Erik shook the skin before he drank in large gulps. He was thinking along the same lines.

”I can go get enough water to last us tonight,” Charles offered. “I’ve been sitting around all day. I could use a little walk.”

Erik shook his head. “I’ll go. Just let me have a little break first.”

”I’m injured not invalid. I can walk. I can even fly,” Charles pouted.

”Yeah, but Emma would kill me if I let you,” Erik laughed. He got serious a moment later. “Is she..?” He shrugged. “I dunno. Your…” He was thinking of the word mate but what he said was: “Wife?”

Charles looked at him with large eyes, taking a while to comprehend what Erik was suggesting. “No?” he eventually offered as an answer. He had never even thought of it.

Erik shrugged. “You just looked very close,” he said by means of explanation. In his thoughts, Charles could see what it looked like to Erik, them touching all the time and the small kisses on cheek, forehead or nose every once in a while and how close they slept. It wasn’t hard to understand how Erik had come to ask the question.

Charles smiled a little. “We are, but not like that.” It wasn’t hard to imagine spending his whole life with Emma, but imagining her as his exclusive partner in bed was hard. Not that he hadn’t thought about it before, mostly early in the morning with her very nearby.

Erik looked at him questioningly. “Go on?”

”She’s like…” Charles shrugged. “I can’t really describe it. She’s another part of me, but it feels like something’s still missing. But I couldn’t imagine life without her.”

”Oh,” Erik murmured. He was now wondering about Charles abducting him. That brought him to the story about kidnapped princesses he’d heard. He looked at Charles a little shyly.

Charles looked back at him. It took a little probing at Erik’s thoughts but there definitely was some interest there. “Oh,” Charles parroted.

”Do you think she’d let me stay?” Erik asked. “I’ve never been able to breathe this freely. It’s a hard life but I like it. But I’m not sure…” The words “if it’s all you” were left unspoken but loud enough on Erik’s mind so Charles could still pick them up.

Charles smiled at him. “You know, for the longest time, Emma and I dreamed about settling down someplace. Maybe we could just stay in this realm?”

Erik nodded, not looking at him. He stood up. “I’ll go fetch water.” He looked at Charles. “Wanna come along?”

~*~

Charles had become steadily better with each passing day. But as he had gotten better, the weather had become worse. Snow had fallen and the first few times it had melted but soon it was there for good. If they wanted to bring Erik back they’d have to do it soon, Emma announced one evening. Charles’ wounds were almost healed but she planned on sacrificing herself to fly Erik down to the capital and let Charles do the talking there.

That plan, however, was spoiled by the first incoming winter storm. The day they had planned to set out, they were all woken by howling winds. Snow blew past in thick flakes, forming a white wall that made it impossible to even make out the nearest trees. Charles crawled over to Emma and under her blanket almost as soon as he was awake enough to do so, not even thinking. He brought his own blanket and rug with him, so they had enough space, but sharing her body heat was nice.

He was about to doze off again, when Emma suddenly spoke. “What about you?” she asked Erik. “Come over here. It’s cold! And put some more logs on the fire when you get up.”

Charles heard some shuffling and rustling and then there was another body on his other side. He turned so he could hug Erik around the waist. “Good boy,” Emma said, kissing Erik on the cheek. Charles watched them with a happy smile. “Keep that up and we’ll keep you around,” Emma said.

Erik put an arm around Charles, watching for Emma’s reaction. When she didn’t protest, he pulled Charles closer. “Even if that means sharing Charles?” he murmured.

Emma laughed. “Oh I can share him.” She cuddles up against Charles’ back, sneaking a hand between the two men. “But are you sure you can?”

Her deft fingers made short process of the straps of Charles’ pants, before she opened Erik’s as well, always waiting for him to protest. Charles could feel his heart start to beat faster, so he kissed Erik. “It’s all good,” he assured Erik just as Emma reached into their pants. Erik merely moaned in reply.

Emma took them both in her hand, slowly moving it in long strokes until they got hard. Charles used the time to distract Erik with kisses, unwilling to take off any of his clothes due to the cold. As inexperienced as he was, finally kissing Erik was nice. Charles even urged Emma to try kissing both of them as well, to get her to share some of the intimacy.

Soon enough, though, Charles was too distracted by Emma’s hand to think of much else than the way he was rubbing against Erik’s erection in her tight grip, his hips rolling back and forth, rubbing his ass against Emma’s lap while he was at it. She pressed closer when she noticed, allowing him to help himself getting off that way.

Erik came rather quickly, but with a gasp as if he was surprised by his own orgasm. Charles held him through the orgasm, while Emma kept up the stimulation until it was getting too much for Erik. She let go of him, but not of Charles, using all her tricks and experience she had in getting Charles off. Only a few moments later, Charles came as well.

He’d loved to just cuddle up against Erik’s chest and fall asleep just like they were, but Emma had needs as well. And she made it very clear by taking Charles hand and shoving it down her own trousers that she expected him to take care of that. Realizing what was going on, Erik moved to help, but Emma swatted his hand away. “No mood for first tries,” she moaned. “We’ll teach you what to do some other time.” Charles knew exactly where to rub her and how fast, so it didn’t take him all that long to get her off as well.

”Well,” Erik said after a while of silent cuddling. “That was unexpected.” He looked still a little slackjawed.

”Unexpected bad?” Charles asked even though he knew the answer.

Erik shook his head. “It, it was great,” he murmured. “Really.” He buried his nose in Charles locks. “Just… You know, a bit much. And unexpected.”

”If we stayed,” Emma mused. “You understand we could do that more often. And other things too.”

”Does that mean you like me a little?” Erik smirked.

Emma rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself too much. I’m able to tolerate you.”

” _I for one_ love both of you very much,” Charles piped up. “And Emma likes you, Erik. Don’t let her bullshit you like that.”

~*~

A couple of days later, the bad weather finally took a break. The snow lay in a thick layer, hiding the grass and bushes under its covers and making the trees creak and moan under its burden. But the sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, and the air was crisp but still.

Emma had decided she would be the one carrying Charles and Erik down to the capital. It meant that she’d either have to turn back in front of the whole court, or to leave the talking to Charles and Erik. They would deal with that decision when they got there, as Emma insisted it was the best way to gauge the reaction of Erik’s people while Erik said it would cause unnecessary ruckus. Charles kept neutral, telling Emma he’d stand by any of her decisions out loud and assuring her he’d come to her aid if worst came to worst in the privacy of their minds.

Emma left the cave so she had the space to turn into her dragon form soon after breakfast. Having seen and done it himself a thousand times, Charles paid that no attention, rather made sure their horses were warm and fed until they would come back for them. Erik on the other hand was fascinated and not all the scowling Emma had to offer was enough to keep him from watching.

She stretched first before she did anything, then made sure she was standing in the center of the small clearing. She closed her eyes, forming rings with her thumb and pointer finger and interlocking them. Her breathing became slow and even. A bright, white light, starting from her chest soon enveloped her whole body, too bright for Erik to make out anything more of what happened. He could hear joints plopping, creaks of bone as the figure of light turned from a human shape to that of a dragon. A rustle of leathery wings. And then he was facing a huge, crystal white dragon, her head close to his and her eyes fixing his like he was her prey.

”You’re even more beautiful this deadly,” Erik spoke out what he’d been thinking.

_Idiot,_ he heard Emma’s voice in his head. She rubbed her scaly but still warm and soft nose against his cheek.

Charles came out from the cave then, carrying two of their thickest blankets. He handed one to Erik. “I recommend huddling up,” he said, petting Emma’s neck. “It gets cold up in the air.”

Emma lay down in the snow so they could get up on her back. Charles swiftly climbed between her wings and front legs, settling there before he helped Erik up. _It’d be easier to bring you back like Charles took you,_ Emma commented, making sure to share all the pain Erik caused her by clumsy missteps. But eventually, the two riders were safely settled, Charles holding Erik securely around his waist so he could keep him in place if he needed to.

The moment she was sure they were settled, Emma stretched her wings. It took her only a few mighty bats of her wings to get them high enough up into the air to fly through the valleys between the mountains down into the open plains. She wasn’t flying high, probably because of her riders, but Erik had to wonder if she didn’t also enjoy announcing to the entire realm that there was a second dragon, not just the hazel brown one that had stolen all the food and brought gold in exchange.

The way to the capital took them less than an hour like this. Emma circled over the castle a couple of times, trying to find a landing spot. In the end, she opted for the center courtyard, hanging in the air over it to make it perfectly clear that she would land there and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Erik had to deflect a few arrows, before people started to realize the dragon had two human looking riders and they might not want to kill them as well.

Emma’s claws connected with the cobble stone just as Erik’s mother, the Queen, emerged from the main building. Charles jumped down from Emma’s back first, then helped Erik to get down as well. He felt stiff after the ride, but did his best not to stumble as he took the few steps towards his mother. She immediately pulled him down into a hug, kissing him on the lips and cheeks despite the crowd of onlookers. But after just a moment she pulled back again to look behind Erik, watching the bright light as Emma turned back. A couple of gasps could be heard when Emma was done, but there was no hostility in the air. Just silent wonder.

Emma walked up until she stood behind Charles, both bowing low before Queen Edie. “We’re here to express our deepest regrets over having wrongfully taken your son away from you, your Highness,” Emma said when she straightened again. “We are no enemies and had we realized it sooner, I am sure the chain of misunderstanding that lead to my friend taking him away to end a battle without a death. Your son graciously offered his help for injuring my friend and then the weather prevented us, or we would have returned him sooner.”

Erik was rather impressed and a little taken with Emma’s eloquence. His mother, on the other hand, seemed to differ. She looked sternly between Emma and Charles and Erik whom she still was holding at arm's length. “For weeks I thought the dragon had taken my son to eat him, or keep him like the princesses in the old stories,” she said. She had drawn her composure up to look as tall and royal as possible. “I even put out a price for those who can overcome the dragon and bring my Erik back. And now there you are, the dragons, bringing my son back yourselves. What am I supposed to do with that?”

Emma smirked. “We’ll take it.” She bowed. “That is, if you want to give it to us.”

”Half the realm and my son’s hand?” Queen Edie asked. Her voice sounded shocked but Erik could tell it was only for show. “I could never ask a pair of dragon’s to settle down in our realm and help protect it and its prosperity.”

Emma and Charles exchanged a long look that ended with Emma rolling her eyes at Charles. “We’re willing to make the sacrifice of settling down,” Emma told the Queen with another bow. “And take on the duty of protecting your realm if it permits us to stay.” Another quick look between her and Charles. “Your son has left quite the impression on us.”

Edie nodded gravely. “Well then,” she said gravely. “Why don’t we go inside and talk the details over in my drawing room? We could have a nice cup of coffee or tea.” She leaned up to kiss Erik again and whispered into his ear before she pulled back again, “You go and show your new boyfriend around while us women hash out the details. I’m not sure how you did it, but I’m very pleased with this.”

Erik took a step back and bowed before his mother, before he went over to Charles. The crowd had started to disperse, slowly realizing that the main part of the show was over. Charles kissed him on the cheek and pulled him into a quick hug. Erik could feel his heart still beating fast. He hadn’t realized just how much of a gamble, how much trust in him this had meant for them. “I’ll show you the castle if you want,” Erik murmured to Charles.

Charles nodded. He looked back at Emma and squeezed her hand briefly. “It’ll be alright,” she ensured him. And to Erik, she added, “If anything happens to him, I’ll hold you responsible.” She kissed Charles and then Erik, before she joined Queen Edie in going into the castle.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to send you off with a nice(?) thought:
> 
> Imagine Erik herding a flock of baby dragons half a decade or so later. Just imagine baby!dragon!Alex doing his very best not to torch his human daddy when he has his first cold after he starts to breathe fire.


End file.
